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Spoiler warning: Hints come first; the four category names and complete answers appear below. This is the archived Monday, July 22, 2024 puzzle, game #407—not a puzzle dated July 22 in another year.
Hints for Connections #407
Use these clues in order, stopping when you have enough help to solve the board.
- A field in which someone may have expertise.
- Things that can be played to make music.
- Objects used to guide vehicles away from a route or lane.
- A word that can precede each of the final four answers.
The 16 words
PYRAMID, HORN, CONE, CHAIN, FIGHT, FLAG, FIELD, FLARE, SPHERE, PROCESSOR, RECORDER, BARRIER, TRIANGLE, DOMAIN, FIDDLE, AREA.
Connections #407 categories and answers
Spoilers below.
| Color | Category | Words | Connection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Realm of expertise | AREA, DOMAIN, FIELD, SPHERE | Each can mean a field or sphere of knowledge or activity. |
| Green | Musical instruments | FIDDLE, HORN, RECORDER, TRIANGLE | Each is an instrument that can be played. |
| Blue | Used to redirect traffic | BARRIER, CONE, FLAG, FLARE | Each can be used to divert or guide traffic. |
| Purple | FOOD ___ | CHAIN, FIGHT, PROCESSOR, PYRAMID | Each completes a familiar phrase beginning with “food.” |
Why the word set can mislead
CONE, PYRAMID, and SPHERE can all suggest three-dimensional shapes, but that apparent connection does not form a group in this puzzle. CONE belongs with traffic-control items; PYRAMID completes “food pyramid”; SPHERE fits the expertise group. The categories rely on different kinds of links: meaning, object type, practical use, and a shared preceding word.
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How Connections works
The New York Times describes Connections as a puzzle in which players sort 16 words into four groups of four that share a theme. The groups are color-coded from yellow, the easiest, through green and blue to purple, the trickiest. The game releases daily at midnight in each player’s timezone. See the NYT Help Center’s Connections page for the official rules and current access details.
Can you replay this puzzle?
The NYT Help Center says the Connections archive goes back to June 12, 2023, and is available to All Access and Games subscribers. Playing an archived puzzle affects some statistics, but it does not count toward current or maximum streaks. Subscription details can change, so check the Help Center for current eligibility.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Was game #407 difficult?
TechRadar’s writer called this puzzle easy and reported a perfect solve; that is the author’s assessment, not an official difficulty rating or a population statistic. The word-shape misdirection may still slow down players who group CONE, PYRAMID, and SPHERE by appearance rather than by their intended connections.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
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